BlizzCon 2017 Overview: Panels, Attractions, Schedule

BlizzCon 2017 takes place on November 3rd and 4th at the Anaheim Convention Center. We've put together this guide to everything you need to know about BlizzCon, and will be updating it throughout the event with links to our panel coverage.

BlizzCon 2017 Contest

Every comment you leave on any BlizzCon 2017 post is entering you to win prizes like a 暴雪巨熊. As long as you don't spam, each comment only increases your chances to win by giving you another entry. Read more here--we have several awesome prizes to give out all weekend.

BlizzCon Basics

BlizzCon 2017 takes place on November 3rd and 4th at the Anaheim Convention Center, while badge pick-up and the BlizzCon Shop open on Thursday November 2nd. A BlizzCon 2017 ticket is needed to enter the convention center.

BlizzCon features panels on each game, demos, eSports tournaments, a special BlizzCon shop, and contests.

You can watch all the events taking place on each stage with a Virtual Ticket (described in section below). During BlizzCon 2017, all events will be streamed on the Virtual Ticket, so you will miss nothing watching another panel or watching it all from home!

Virtual Ticket

Watch the convention at home with the Virtual Ticket, available for $39.99. The Virtual Ticket gives you access to the following:

Livestreams of all panels for all games, contests, Opening and Closing ceremonies, and eSports.

On-demand replays of content from all channels for 2 weeks after the event.

You need both an Internet Connection and Battle.net account to watch the stream.

All times listed in the Virtual Ticket are PST.

World of Warcraft

With the events from Patch 7.3, all World of Warcraft are expecting a new expansion announcement in this BlizzCon. A lot of speculation has been floating around the community for a while now and we're excited to see what is in store for World of Warcraft in the future!

Hearthstone

BlizzCon has historically been a time where new content has been announced: Goblins vs Gnomes, League of Explorers, and Mean-streets of Gadgetzan. Blizzard will probably announce the third expansion pack for 2017, so we're sure to learn much more!

Heroes of the Storm

Earlier in 2017, Heroes had the 3rd installment of the Heroes of the Dorm competition, launched Heroes of the Storm 2.0 that revamped many different aspects of the game outside the matches, adding new reward systems and an unlimited level cap. We'll likely see a few new heroes added that BlizzCon attendees will have a small head start on learning how to play.

Overwatch

Overwatch was revealed at BlizzCon 2014; since then, the game has gone live, we're gotten competitive seasons and in-game holidays, and a variety of heroes! Unlike BlizzCon 2016, that had the Sombra ARG resolved during the Con, this only has mystery around new announcements.

Diablo

In 2017, Diablo III launched its second extra character, the Necromancer, in the optional expansion called The Rise of the Necromancer. While already being announced to not have much content in store for BlizzCon 2017, there are still a couple panels about the game.

Darkmoon Faire

Community Amphitheater

The Darkmoon Faire is back for 2017! The Faire will be the main location for many community attractions, like Pin Trading, Pet Adoption and the Photo Booth.

Pin Trading

Pin trading is a fun activity where players collect pins at Blizzard events and then swap them for missing ones. Some pins are very difficult to get, so people display the ones they have on a lanyard and hope they can make an exchange. Players can purchase Season 4 blind packs from the BlizzCon shop. You can find more about Pin Trading in our Pin Trading Guide!

The BlizzCon 2017 Pin Trading Booth is located on the second floor of the North Hall, in the convention center, in the Darkmoon Faire. Here are the official rules:

Collectors can trade for up to two different pins each time they approach the board.Trades are one pin for one pin, and a gold pin can only be traded for another gold pin.The board will accept any pin from the official Blizzard Collectible Pins collection.

Players can also trade pins with special Community Members who will be wearing lanyards filled with pins:

Collectors can trade for up to two different pins per community member per day (multiple team members will be participating at the same time).Trades are one pin for one pin, and a gold pin can only be traded for another gold pin.They will only accept pins from the official Blizzard Collectible Pins collection.

The Ethereal Trading Emporium will provide expanded trading tables for all BlizzCon traders. This is the place to go to find collectors seeking trades for Blizzard collectible pins, capsule toys, vinyl figures, and the new BlizzCon backpack Velcro badges.

As in past years, players can try for a Capsule Toy and trade with other collectors for the characters they like. Season 4 will include Anduin and Genji.

Blizzard Shop

The Blizzard Shop sells all the BlizzCon Gear Shop Items any Virtual Ticket-holder can purchase. Through the end of November you can use promo code WOWHEADPIN when purchasing $50+ to get your choice of pin:

Additional items should be available the week of the convention via Blink Shopping for attendees, which allows them to buy in advance and pick up at the convention. These items usually open up to Virtual Ticket players the Thursday before the convention.

Contests

There are four contests at BlizzCon 2017: Movie, Original Art, Talent, and Costume.

The Contests take place on the Mythic Stage, 6-9pm Friday, and are hosted by Chris Hardwick. You can also find cosplayers walking around the convention during the day - ask before taking a picture or touching their costumes.

New to 2017: Talent Contest will be judged live by a trio of special guests!

Darin De Paul, the voice of characters like Reinhardt, Anub'arak and Warchief Blackhand!

Other Attractions

This next section covers things you might not catch on a Virtual Ticket panel. If you're attending BlizzCon, be sure to check the following things out.

Skill and Community Stages

The popular Artists Stage and later Collective Creative has been renamed and split into two different stages for BlizzCon 2017: Heroic Stage, for Skilled Craft Series, and Epic Stage for Community panels! There will be over 20 events on the stages, featuring many different subjects, including digital painting, traditional drawing, 3D modeling, FX, sculpture, animation, systems engineering, and coding panels!

All times are in PDT

Heroic Stage

Blizzard Art Live – Drawing and Sculpting: 12:15pm – 1:15pm

Join a trio of Blizzard artists as they walk though their craft. See a live sculpting exhibition, discover the techniques behind creating epic concept art—and learn a thing or two in the process.

LoreCraft – The Art of Storytelling: 1:30pm – 2:30pm

Hear from Blizzard’s lore masters and storytellers to discover how we build fantastic worlds and put together our most epic tales, and learn how to tell a story the Blizzard way.

Diablo III – Visual Effects of the Necromancer: 2:45pm - 3:15pm

From exploding corpses to undead armies, join the Diablo III developers as they discuss the visual effects that bring the Necromancer class to unlife.

Blizzard Art Live – In-Game Animation: 3:30pm - 4:30pm

From the swift slice of Genji’s blade to the wobbly walk of a baby murloc, how a character moves is integral to who they are. Join Blizzard animators as they dive into the tools and techniques they use to bring characters to life.

CodeCraft – Under the Hood with Blizzard Engineering, Part 1: 5:00pm-6:00pm

Interested in the underlying technology that powers your favorite Blizzard games? Join Blizzard engineers as they talk shop about tools, tricks of the trade, and how to take steps to become a programmer.

CodeCraft – Under the Hood with Blizzard Engineering, Part 2: 10:00am-11:00am

Interested in the underlying technology that powers your favorite Blizzard games? Join Blizzard engineers as they talk shop about tools, tricks of the trade, and how to take steps to become a programmer.

DesignCraft – Building Blocks of Level Design: 11:30am - 12:30pm

From notes on paper to basic wireframes, every map or dungeon starts somewhere. Join Blizzard level designers as they talk shop on building levels and what goes into creating a space for fun gameplay.

Stay Awhile and Listen – True Stories Live: 1:00pm -2:00pm

Everyone at BlizzCon has their own unique story to share about how Blizzard has impacted their lives. Hear from four different storytellers as they narrate their touching, funny, and memorable experiences live.

Did you know the sounds of zerglings in Heroes of the Storm come from pigs? Or that the murlocs’ distinctive gurgling is derived from yogurt? Help Blizzard's sound designers turn the most unlikely of objects into the most incredible sounds.

Blizzard Art Live – 3D Art and Digital Painting: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Join a trio of Blizzard artists as they walk the audience through the art of their craft. See how 3D modelers build characters, witness digital painting techniques in action—and learn a thing or two in the process.

Exploring the Wide World of Blizzard Careers: 5:30 - 6:15pm

You know it takes artists, designers, and engineers to make a game--but it also takes a ton of other skills you might not even be aware of. Hear how different employees found their niche within the company, and learn a few tips on how to turn your own unique talent into a career.

Epic Stage

Heroes of the Storm Community Gauntlet: 12:15pm – 1:15pm

Get ready to compete for the glory of becoming the first Nexus MVP! Facing off alongside developers and streamers, contestants from the audience will compete in a series of challenges designed to test their wit, agility, and Heroes game knowledge.

Allcraft Live!: 1:45pm – 2:45pm

The hosts of the popular World of Warcraft podcast Allcraft are joined by some special guests for a discussion of all things Warcraft—live from BlizzCon!

Author Showcase – Making Pages Come Alive: 3:00pm - 3:30pm

Join the authors of some of your favorite Blizzard books as they reveal how they make our game worlds come to life with the written word.

Connect and Inspire Through Play with Geek & Sundry: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Geek and Sundry’s mission is "to connect and inspire through play," building communities that bring audiences and content creators together. Join some of these talented individuals as they geek out and share their personal experiences.

Overwatch Presents: What’s in the Loot Box?: 5:15pm-6:00pm

Help our intrepid hosts as they attempt to unravel the mystery behind the gigantic Overwatch Loot Box that found its way onto the Epic Stage.

Living Blizzard – Pursuing Your Passion: 10:00am-11:00am

Come learn from some of the talented content creators who craft their own epic entertainment experiences for the Blizzard community. Discover how they got started, and find out what it takes to grow your own online community from the people who turned their passion for Blizzard into a career!

The Instance Live!: 11:15am - 12:15pm

Join the hosts of the popular World of Warcraft podcast The Instance for a recording of a live episode discussing the hottest news straight from BlizzCon.

Carbot Creates Live!: 12:30pm -1:15pm

From StarCrafts to Hero Storm to UnderWatch to WowCraft: Join Jonathan “Carbot” Burton as he demonstrates how Carbot’s iconic animations are created, sharing techniques, ideas, and answering questions about his popular Blizzard-themed series.

Ever watched cosplayers on the BlizzCon stage and thought, “I want to do that”? Sounds like you want to cosplay, but have no idea where to start. Here’s your chance to hear from cosplayers who were once exactly where you are. Hear tips, tricks, do’s, and don’ts from the pros on how to start cosplaying today.

Exploring Diablo’s Community: 2:45pm - 3:15pm

JJoin well-known community content creators as they come together to share their experiences, thoughts, and tips on making content about the world of Sanctuary.

CostumeCraft – Cosplay Design & Fabrication: 3:30pm - 4:15pm

Hard mode engaged! Join veteran cosplay creators as they guide you through the process of designing and fabricating real, wearable costumes based on intricate sci-fi and fantasy concepts that were never intended to exist in our world.

Overwatch Streamer Showdown: 4:30pm - 5:30pm

The world could always use more game shows! In Streamer Showdown, some of your favorite Overwatch community personalities compete to complete a new kind of objective: win a battle of wits.

Hearthstone: Tavern Trivia: 5:45pm - 6:30pm

The Innkeeper’s hosting a whole new kind of game in his tavern! Two teams of audience members, Hearthstone streamers, and content creators face off and test their Hearthstone knowledge. Come play along!

Graffiti Wall

The graffiti wall, located between Halls B and C, is the place where attendees can leave their mark--sign their name, draw a picture, etc. This wall is then displayed at the Blizzard campus.

Recruiting Booth

The Blizzard recruiting booth, located between Halls B and C, lets you talk one-on-one with Blizzard recruiters. They can't accept resumes, but they will answer your questions and offer advice on job openings, best practices, and hiring process.

In past years, the job booth has been split by Students, Professionals, and Artists. Artists are welcome to show a portfolio quickly, but you must bring your own devices and have it be fully-charged.

Diversity Meet-up

New to the 2017 edition, the Diversity Meet-up is a meeting for all attendees insterested in joining discussions about diversity in gaming and in life. The meeting will take place at the North Hall, Level 2, during both days of the Con.

The Blizzard community is global and diverse, and this is something we cherish. We’re proud of how our players and our workforce reflect the spectrum of cultures, genders, sexual orientations, and interests that make up the world we live in—it’s cool we’re not all the same. It helps make life more interesting and rewarding. That’s why we think it’s important to find new ways to recognize who we are as a global community. We know that this is important to many others in the community too. Time and time again, we’re inspired by how our players celebrate and support each other’s differences.

With that in mind, we’re excited to introduce a new space at BlizzCon this year that we’re calling the Blizzard Diversity Meet-Up.

The Diversity Meet-Up (located in the North Hall on Level 2) is for all attendees who are interested to join discussions about diversity in gaming and in life. One of our loftier goals for the space is to make it a place for people to share their experiences as they relate to diversity and inclusivity, whether in our games or within our community. To that end, we’re going to encourage group discussions, and Blizzard employees will be there to share their stories as well. We’re also there to answer any questions attendees may have about how Blizzard is supporting diversity from a workforce and hiring standpoint.

We see the Blizzard Diversity Meet-Up at BlizzCon as a celebration of our community and another way to enrich how we interact with each other. That’s the inspiration for bringing it to the show. We look forward to seeing you there, hearing your ideas and experiences, sharing our own, and coming together as we do every year to embrace our inner geek and everything else that makes us who we are.

评论来自 Sephoraa

评论来自 Stormeey

评论来自 Bruich

Been updating wowheads frontpage for a leek or something all day( live in Europe)But now it is time to get home and get ready for the announcement.

评论来自 Deathdawning

on 2017-11-03T09:32:41-05:00

Sooo excited! :)

& I don't think you mentioned, we get to see Muse play! Happy days :)

评论来自 Tankchain

on 2017-11-03T09:35:51-05:00

tae is bae

评论来自 Velianaris

on 2017-11-03T09:36:51-05:00

LETS GO BLIZZCON TRAIN CHOO CHOO! super excited to see what will be next! (please let there be hair under helmets next xpack)

评论来自 farfignugen44

on 2017-11-03T09:37:17-05:00

The hype is palpable! Can't want for the opening ceremony.

评论来自 TEMPNAME063

on 2017-11-03T09:40:29-05:00

Awesome, I can't wait! SO excited to see what the next expansion will be about.

评论来自 Uzira

on 2017-11-03T09:41:00-05:00

BATTLE FOR AZEROTH!

评论来自 Cheesecaker

on 2017-11-03T09:41:17-05:00

So excited for news that isn’t all speculation!

评论来自 lankybrit

on 2017-11-03T09:44:13-05:00

Looking forward mostly to the Hearthstone next expansion announcement.

评论来自 mitkoto2222

on 2017-11-03T09:44:37-05:00

Can i watch WoW stage free.

评论来自 AnotherSheep

on 2017-11-03T09:46:16-05:00

It's sooo close! Looking forward to all things WoW and OW, it's going to be good times :D

评论来自 CzechCloud

on 2017-11-03T09:46:36-05:00

If you are not inclining on WoW content, i would recommed you to see the sound panel. Its getting better every year.

评论来自 FatGoose

on 2017-11-03T09:46:40-05:00

Big Blizzard Bear! Oh man!

评论来自 yphanh2002

on 2017-11-03T09:49:23-05:00

I"m so hype for WoW expansion announcement or rather I hope it's the new expansion announcement

评论来自 Richmond79

on 2017-11-03T09:49:43-05:00

Cancelled usual Friday dinner out today so I can stay home and watch the stream to see what the next expansion is. Really looking forward to it - I wonder what the level cap will be? Hoping for lots of sub-races, some innovations in collectibles like transmog, some love for people with many alts, and also some love for previous continents rather than a new one